Tel Aviv: India has pitched itself as a powerhouse of opportunity for Israeli investors, with Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal declaring that the two nations stand on the brink of “unlimited possibilities” across sectors ranging from infrastructure and AI to fintech, agri-tech, space and defence.
On the first-ever visit by an Indian Commerce Minister to Israel, Piyush Goyal told a high-powered gathering of business leaders that India offers vast investment potential for Israeli companies, backed by what he called the “10 Ds”, democracy, demographic dividend, digitalisation, fast-paced development, and decisive leadership among them.
Goyal is leading a 60-member business delegation to Israel, where he will hold meetings with key government officials and industry representatives to identify new avenues of partnership. “India offers an investor-friendly and predictable atmosphere to do business. It offers huge opportunities for businesses of both sides,” he said.
The minister listed critical sectors for expanded cooperation, including infrastructure development, manufacturing, artificial intelligence, machine learning, quantum computing, pharmaceuticals, space and defence. “There are unlimited possibilities and potential between the two countries,” he noted while addressing the India–Israel Business Summit alongside Israeli Minister of Economy Nir Barkat.
Barkat, echoing Goyal’s optimism, described India as a significant strategic opportunity. “India is a great bet for us. Indian infrastructure companies can come here and bid,” he said, adding that the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) presents a powerful new platform for cross-border collaboration. He called IMEC, a major road, rail and shipping network initiative linking Asia, the Middle East and Europe, formalised during the G20 Summit in Delhi in September 2023, “an amazing idea.”
Despite strong strategic ties, India–Israel trade figures show a recent slowdown. India’s exports to Israel fell sharply by 52% to USD 2.14 billion in 2024–25 from USD 4.52 billion in the previous fiscal year. Imports from Israel also dropped 26.2% to USD 1.48 billion. Between April 2000 and June 2025, India has received USD 337.77 million in foreign direct investment from Israel.